The Prophecy
by diet otaku
Summary: A historical fic written before The Avatar and the Fire Lord, so some events aren't canon starting with Sozin's ascension to the throne.
1. Chapter 1

_"My father says she was born lucky. He says I was lucky to be born."_

* * *

Sozin frowned as he crouched at the edge of the turtleduck pond, dipping his fingertips into the cool water. The 10-year-old prince had never been one to smile much, but his scowl was particularly intense that day, as his brother had been sequestered for yet another military tactics lesson. Sozin's hands balled into fists as he sat, neglected, condemned to the second-rate upbringing of the second-born son. A particularly unjust fate, he felt, as he was only minutes too late to claim the title of Crown Prince. But there was no room on the dais for two Fire Lords, and as the first-born twin, Kozen would be the one to ascend and rule the nation one day. Sozin stood and kicked a rock into the pond, startling the resident family of turtleducks.

"Hey now, what did those turtleducks ever do to you?" a voice chided from across the courtyard. Sozin looked up to see his twin brother striding toward him with a grin.

"I thought you had lessons?" Sozin asked, a hint of suspicion in his voice. Kozen shrugged.

"I talked them into letting me out early. I felt guilty leaving my baby brother out here all by himself." Sozin's eyes narrowed at the remark, another stinging reminder of the life that was stolen from him by his cheerful, carefree sibling. Sozin hid his bitterness behind a smile as Kozen playfully slugged him in the shoulder.

"Besides," Kozen continued, "all that military stuff doesn't really interest me. I mean, I know it's kind of important in a way to keep order, but it's not like we're at war. And I'd kinda like to keep it that way." The Crown Prince laid down on his stomach at the edge of the pond, feeding bread crumbs to the turtleducks with a blissful smile on his face. Sozin regarded his brother disapprovingly, wondering if such a passive, sensitive boy would be capable of ruling the Fire Nation properly. Resentment began bubbling up from deep inside him, but as usual, his brother managed to disarm him with his sunny disposition.

"I know!" Kozen exclaimed, turning towards Sozin. "Let's sneak out of the palace and look around the market!" Kozen took a strange delight in mingling with commoners and observing the ordinary thrum of everyday life outside the palace walls. Sozin never understood what his twin brother found so fascinating about the crushing, teeming mass of unwashed peasants, but he still preferred the illicit jaunts with his sibling to staying in the palace, alone and forgotten. Using the secret escape passage in their bedroom, a safety measure installed to allow the royal family to escape in the event of a rebellion, the cloaked boys scurried through the underground tunnel and popped out on the other side of the rear palace wall. They snuck onto the back of a cabbage cart and hitched a ride into the market.

_If we weren't identical twins, I'd think one of us was adopted,_ Sozin mused to himself as Kozen marveled at the sights and sounds of the market. The boys pressed through the crowd, peering at the occasional stall. Kozen giggled and pointed at a stylized blue opera mask, shaping his hands into claws and making monster noises. They purchased a couple of spiced pepper cabbage wraps to snack on and argued over whether or not to free a pitiful-looking komodo chicken in a cage, obviously intended to be someone's next meal. Kozen felt sorry for the poor bird, but Sozin insisted that freeing it would hurt the merchant trying to sell it more than it would help the bird. As the sun crept down the western slope of the sky, the boys hurried back to the palace and through the passage, barely making it back to their room in time to be called to dinner.

During the meal, Sozin was bitterly reminded of his situation. His parents lavished praise on the older twin, bragging about his accomplishments to no one in particular. Kozen attempted to direct the topic of conversation to his sibling, but the Fire Lord ignored him to quiz his heir on military history and cultural traditions. Sozin picked at his meal before quietly excusing himself, his departure unnoticed by everyone except Kozen. He returned to his room to try and console his younger brother when the meal was finally over, but Sozin was in no mood to hear his platitudes.

Left alone in his room, Sozin fumed. How could someone so close to being himself be given everything in the world, while he was left with nothing? He was a spare part, a leftover, unnecessary and unwanted. Fire Nation royal families had no need for more than one child. He could run away into the jungle and no one but Kozen would notice. He could even take Kozen's place and no one but Kozen would know...

_I could take his place,_ Sozin repeated to himself, mulling the words over. _I could switch, pretend to be him... or I could TAKE his PLACE. The place that would have been mine, had I been the one born a few minutes before him... had I been an only child. I could still be an only child... if I REALLY wanted..._

That night, Sozin decided to kill his twin brother.


	2. Chapter 2

Kozen wondered why his brother seemed unusually cheery the next morning, but optimistically chalked it up to a rare good mood. As Kozen was led away for his morning lessons, Sozin sat blithely under the big tree in the center of the courtyard, dipping his feet into the water of the turtle duck pond. 

Out of the corner of his eye, Sozin watched his brother fade into the distance and disappear. He leapt to his feet and bolted to the palace library, pawing through the firebending scrolls until he found the one he was looking for. It was a high-level technique - one which, given his mediocre training, should have been way beyond his skill level. It was also lethal.

Slipping the scroll into his robes, he silently padded through the halls to the guards' quarters, and snuck into their training room. It was deserted, as any guards not currently on duty were outside running drills. Sozin sat on the floor and unfurled the scroll, studying it intently. He had a natural gift for firebending, but he was still attempting a highly dangerous move. If he didn't execute it just right he could end up killing himself instead. He pored over the scroll, memorizing the stances, visualizing the movements in his head. Then he stood and slowly worked through the motions without using fire. As he quickened his pace and felt more comfortable with the moves, he began using his firebending. It was nearly dusk when he felt confident that he had perfected the technique. He hurriedly rolled up the scroll and returned it to its place in the library, and returned to his room to wait for dinner, and his brother's return.

The evening meal was uneventful, all attentions focused on Kozen as usual. Sozin simply smiled and politely polished off the food in front of him, before excusing himself and heading towards the courtyard. Kozen raised an eyebrow, wondering what his brother could possibly find interesting outside at night. Once his plate was clear, he followed his twin brother outside.

"Sozin?" he asked quietly. "What are you doing out here at this hour?"

"Oh, I'm glad you came, Kozen! I want to show you something." A faint smile crept across his face, invisible in the dark. Sozin had meticulously planned every minute, down to the last detail. The darkness would offer him cover so his well-trained brother couldn't detect the movements he was performing and anticipate the attack. It would also provide a convenient excuse for his "mistake" when the adults came to investigate what happened.

"My firebending teacher is a total idiot, so I've been going through the library and teaching myself some moves," Sozin continued, producing a harmless-looking pair of fire daggers in his fists. "Pretty sweet, huh?"

Kozen smiled, impressed by his brother's ingenuity. "Wow, yeah! That's pretty good! How long did it take you to learn that?"

"Oh, you know," Sozin stalled, adding some useless bits of fluff to the routine to put his brother off-guard. "It wasn't too hard... took me most of the day, I think..."

"Heh, I was wondering where you'd run off to," Kozen chuckled. Sozin caught him relaxing his shoulders, and took the opportunity to strike. In the darkness, Kozen could barely detect that Sozin was suddenly moving towards him, much less make out the postures and motions he was assuming. A mere few feet from Kozen's face, Sozin produced a rolling wall of fire that engulfed his brother. As Kozen opened his mouth to scream, the flames were sucked down his throat, cooking his esophagus and lungs. The flames quickly evaporated, and the boy dropped to the ground, lifeless. Sozin grinned to himself before feigning shock and horror.

"Mom! MOM!!! Something happened to Kozen!!" he cried, as his parents came running out into the courtyard. His mother collapsed next to Kozen's body, clutching him to her chest. His father could only stare at his worst nightmare come to life. He turned to Sozin.

"What happened here?" he asked softly. Sozin turned on the waterworks.

"I... I dunno, Dad! I was just showing him this firebending move I learned, and I guess I messed something up or something because I lost my balance and fell and there was all this fire and... and..." Sozin fell to his knees, sobbing. His father hesitantly kneeled beside him, placing one arm around his shoulders. "It was an accident, Dad," Sozin wept. "It was an accident... it was an accident..."

Sozin could hardly contain his glee at Kozen's funeral a few days later. The sage's words ran together in his head, all meaningless drivel that, as near as he could figure, people were required to say at funerals. _Kozen's life isn't important anymore,_ he told himself. _What's important is that I'M the heir to the throne now._

No one noticed the grin of smug satisfaction spreading across the new Crown Prince's face.


	3. Chapter 3

Sozin discreetly rolled his eyes as the Fire Sage regurgitated nearly the same speech he'd heard several times over by now. First at his brother's funeral, then his mother, and now - finally - his father was being laid to rest. He did note that the speech was slightly different today. It had to be. Today, a new Fire Lord would be crowned. 

"...we lay you to rest," the Sage concluded, and Sozin moved to the center of the platform. "We now bestow the Crown of the Fire Nation upon your only surviving son." Sozin's brow furrowed at the reminder. The Sage carefully placed the crown in Sozin's topknot. "Hail Fire Lord Sozin!"

The crowd below prostrated itself, and Sozin grinned. He praised himself for his patience in waiting for this day. The urge to speed up the process and simply eliminate his father himself was certainly tempting, but he couldn't risk anyone drawing a connection between his brother's death all those years ago, and his father. Now all of his patience, planning and hard work was paying off. And he knew exactly what he was going to do with his newly-earned power.

His primary obstacle was the Avatar. Kyoshi, an Earth Kingdom native, had finally passed away the year Sozin eliminated his twin brother. The next Avatar, a Fire Nation native named Roku, was born the same year. As Sozin waited for his father to depart the throne, he'd heard rumors of the new Avatar's impulsivity, and one incident in particular in which the 16-year-old had destroyed his own temple in an impatient attempt to master the Avatar State. Sozin hoped he would be able to ply Roku's loyalties to his own nation and keep the Avatar on his side as he executed his plans. Now that Sozin was Fire Lord, he could begin the first step: winning the allegiance of Avatar Roku.

* * *

Servants and guards stared in shock as the elderly Fire Sage tore through the palace halls, stumbling along the way. He collapsed outside the doors to the throne room, at the feet of a guard who raised one eyebrow, unsure of what to make of the situation.

"Please," the Fire Sage panted. "My name is Kaja, and I require an audience with Fire Lord Sozin IMMEDIATELY." The guard blinked at him. "HURRY!" With that, the guard turned on his heels and bolted into the throne room. He threw himself to the floor and touched his forehead to the cool tile.

"Your Highness! Fire Sage Kaja requests an urgent audience with you!" the guard informed him. Sozin sat silently on the dais, flames licking at his robes.

"Concerning what matter?" Sozin asked in a cool, even voice.

"He didn't say, Your Highness," the guard replied to the floor. "But he came tearing in, and collapsed just outside the doors. He seems to be very upset about something." Sozin stroked his beard, his interest piqued.

"Send him in," Sozin ordered. No sooner had the guard opened the doors and stuck his head out, than Kaja scrambled inside and prostrated himself before the Fire Lord.

"Your Highness, I have news that you must hear!" the Fire Sage gasped. Sozin's steely gaze did not waver. "A prophecy has been revealed, my Lord."

"A prophecy? Tell me."

"The other Sages and I were meditating, and somehow I found myself in the Spirit World. I was approached by a dazzling figure that introduced itself to me as the Spirit of the Sun. It then revealed a prophecy to me: 'In the Year of the Dragon, a child shall be born with eyes like the sun. His birth shall darken the sky, and he shall be the one to restore the rightful heir to the throne, and honor to the Crown.'" Sozin's eyes widened. Kaja lifted his head just enough to peek at Sozin's face, scrutinizing his reaction. "My Lord? I confess, I know not what this prophecy means. Perhaps you have some idea?"

Sozin furrowed his brow and waved his hand, dismissing the Fire Sage. The Spirit of the Sun was warning him. But how much time did he have? His wife had not yet produced an heir, and once she did, wouldn't that child be the rightful heir to the throne? Kozen hadn't had any children, being only a child himself when he died, so it wasn't as though Sozin was shutting out his bloodline. Still, perhaps the spirits considered anyone of Sozin's bloodline an usurper to the throne. And Sozin had other reasons to fear the child in the prophecy. What kind of cursed, miserable wretch could blot out the sun with his very birth?

"Fire Sage Kaja brought a transcript of the prophecy, did he not?" Sozin inquired of the guard.

"Yes, Your Highness. As the law requires, all divine revelations must--"

"I'm well aware of the laws," Sozin snapped. "Bring me the scroll."

"Sire, you needn't burden yourself. I would be happy to take it to the library--"

"I SAID BRING ME THE SCROLL!" Sozin bellowed. The guard stumbled and hurried to the door to retrieve the transcript. Sozin couldn't let information like this simply lay around in the open, even within the confines of the royal library. Anyone else reading the scroll might deduce what it was suggesting, and take actions against the Crown. Sozin kept the scroll close by his side until he retired for the evening, when he locked it away in a hidden chamber behind a large tapestry in his chambers. He had worked too hard, planned for too long to reach a position where he could achieve his goals, and nothing, not even his own decendents, would stand in his way.


	4. Chapter 4

Decades passed, and the prophecy remained unfulfilled. Sozin's wife had not even borne him a child yet, though he wasn't exactly impatient. The prophecy had not been specific as to HOW the rightful heir would be returned to the throne, and Sozin was not eager to meet an Oedipal fate. 

Unfortunately, another wrench was thrown in his plans when Avatar Roku refused to support Sozin's plans. Roku insisted that, as the Avatar, it was his duty not only to remain impartial, but to maintain peace - a responsibility that unequivocally ruled out playing any part in a plot for world domination. Now Sozin was faced with the problem of keeping the Avatar, master of all the elements, from ruining the whole thing. Eliminating Roku seemed impossible; Sozin was certainly a skilled firebender, but Roku was a master firebender, AND a master airbender, waterbender, and earthbender. An outright physical fight was out of the question.

Sozin himself was fond of using violence when eliminating his enemies and obstacles, but royal families were well-versed in the ways of assassination, and some tactics were more subtle than others. Fratricide was one thing, but no one would stand behind a Fire Lord who had the audacity to assassinate the Avatar. People loved the Avatar. Then again, people also loved peace, but they were just going to have to get used to living without that for awhile.

Sozin had done some reading up on exotic Earth Kingdom plants, and was particularly excited to learn about the White Jade bush. Its leaves were highly poisonous, but it also bore a striking resemblance to the White Dragon bush, which was world-reknowned for producing exceptionally delicious tea. Many Earth Kingdom residents had a hard time telling the plants apart (some meeting an untimely fate as a result), and certainly no foreign citizens would be able to tell the difference at a glance.

"Kuzon, take a letter," he ordered, waiving a servant over. "To the attention of Avatar Roku. I have recently received a shipment of imported White Dragon bush leaves from the Earth Kingdom. I am sure you are aware of the reputation preceding this rare plant, and would like to invite you to the Palace of the Fire Lord to enjoy a cup of the most exquisitely delectible tea in the world. I look forward to your company. Sincerely, Fire Lord Sozin." The servant nodded and hurried off to attach the scroll to a messenger hawk. Sozin steepled his fingers and smiled to himself.

"It's tea time."


	5. Chapter 5

With Avatar Roku out of the way, Sozin quickly adapted his plans. The next Avatar would be born into the Air Nomads, but Sozin planned to strike before the boy was informed of his destiny. Still just a child, knowing only airbending, the new Avatar would be helpless against an onslaught of firebenders. It was a simple matter of locating each successive Avatar before he came of age and eliminating him with overwhelming force. And once the cycle came full circle, there would be no airbenders left for the Avatar to be born into, and the cycle would be broken. 

The Sages had also informed Sozin of the impending arrival of a comet - one which would grant the firebenders a massive increase in power. Sozin began moving troops so that once the comet arrived, they could launch a devastating first strike against the other 3 nations. The opposition, reeling from the surprise attack, would have a hard time getting back on its feet to fight back. At least, not until it was already too late.

He worried, in spite of it all, because he could not deny that he was getting on in years. Already an octogenarian, Sozin feared he would not be able to last long enough to ensure an insurmountable advantage in the war. He feared that without his leadership, the war effort would disintegrate. And he worried about his continued lack of an heir. He mulled these problems over in his mind as he marked off the remaining days before the comet's arrival.

"My Lord!" a messenger shouted, rushing across the throne room. "Wonderful news!"

"What is it?" Sozin asked, scrutinizing the messenger.

"It's your Lady Ilyra! She is with child!" The calendar scroll in Sozin's hands clattered to the floor.

"She... she is? I'll finally have an heir?" Sozin stared ahead blankly. The messenger smiled at the Fire Lord as he pushed past and silently headed to his wife's chambers. As he threw the doors open, she turned and smiled at him, tears in her eyes, hands on her stomach. Wordlessly, he drew her into an embrace and kissed the top of her head.

The next nine months seemed to fly by. Sozin's first strike was executed perfectly, and the generals reported their assurances that the airbenders had been completely wiped out. The firebenders hammered away at the Water Tribes, looking for signs that the Avatar had been reborn. Several weeks passed, however, with no word of a new Avatar. Some began to speculate that the Air Nomad Avatar wasn't dead after all. Some believed that the cycle had been broken, and the Avatar was never reborn into the Air Nomads. Either way, it was clear that the Avatar wasn't going out of his way to avert war.

Once Sozin was confident in his generals' abilities to carry out the initial plans for his conquest, he focused his attentions on his wife and newborn child. He felt somewhat guilty, being a father nearly old enough to be the child's great-grandfather. He was relieved, however, that it most likely meant no surprises in terms of his succession. The new prince was named Azulon, and was doted on day and night by parents and palace staff alike. He showed impressive talent in his firebending lessons, something which made Sozin beam with pride, and reminded him more than a little of himself. Azulon excelled in his military lessons as well, and showed an intense interest in his country's progress in the war. Sozin was confident the boy would make a fine Fire Lord when the time came.

The time came sooner than Sozin, and Azulon, had hoped. Only twenty years after the war began, Sozin's body finally gave out. Well-educated and trained though he was, Azulon felt unsure about suddenly having an entire country dumped in his lap. He was still quite young, and his arranged marriage had not even been finalized before his parents passed away. He was forced to put that issue on hold while he familiarized himself with the generals and admirals at his command, and the tactics they were employing in the war. And as the newly crowned Fire Lord set about planning the future of his country, he remained completely ignorant of the foreboding scroll hidden behind the tapestry in his late father's chambers.


	6. Chapter 6

Azulon had quickly adjusted to his new role, impressing the masses with his decisive attacks and increasing victories. He eventually found a wife, Ilah, and she bore him a son, Iroh. Iroh was raised as every heir to the throne had been, though he showed an exceptional talent for strategic planning. Azulon decided to place the prince in the military, albeit in a high-ranking position far from the dangerous front lines. The happy-go-lucky young man respectfully accepted his father's assignment, and quickly proved himself in several decisive conflicts against the Water Tribes, earning an early promotion to general. He also displayed the natural gift for firebending that his father and grandfather had shown, even earning the nickname "The Dragon of the West" for a trademark skill of producing a torrent of flames from his mouth. As the Fire Lord grew older, he felt increasingly confident in his son's ability to take his place. Azulon's life seemed to be going so well, in fact, that it seemed almost inevitable that something wholly unexpected would present itself. 

"You're WHAT?!" he bellowed at his wife.

"I'm pregnant," Ilah replied in an even voice.

"You can't be pregnant, we already HAVE a child!"

"I know."

"The royal family has no need for additional children! Only the first-born can ascend to the throne, having multiple children just fosters resentment and hostility."

"It was an ACCIDENT, Azulon! You know that!" she snapped, finally raising her voice.

"Well that doesn't solve our problem," Azulon muttered.

"What choice do we have? We'll simply raise him as well as we can and hope for the best. Maybe he'll turn out good-natured, like Iroh, and won't be bothered by it all." Azulon was not so optimistic.

To Ilah's credit, little Ozai seemed to be a relatively normal boy. His parents kept him occupied with mediocre lessons in firebending and military history, and he seemed content. On occasion, Ilah had to scold him for harassing the turtleducks, but otherwise he stayed out of everyone's way.

Which was, of course, only because he was spending his time in the palace library, supplementing his lessons with advanced firebending skills and textbooks on military tactics. He didn't care that he was second-born by a long shot; he knew he was destined for the throne. He didn't care that the Crown Prince was a few decades his senior; he would stop at nothing to seize the throne for himself.

Having exhausted all but the most dangerous firebending scrolls in the royal library, which even he wasn't foolish enough to attempt without more experience and training, the bored little prince wandered the palace looking for things to do and people to annoy. He eventually came to his parents' chambers, the door left invitingly ajar. Glancing around to check for guards, he silently snuck inside and peered around the empty bedroom. A colorful tapestry hanging from a far wall caught his eye, and he went to get a closer look. Running his hands along the smooth threads, he felt a slight bump behind the tapestry. He paused a moment, then moved to one end and carefully pulled back the cloth. The shadows along the wall darkened curiously where he had felt the bump in the wall. He slipped behind the tapestry and approached the hidden chamber. The tapestry offered the only real security, apparently under the assumption that no one would think to check behind it. The boy warily reached into the opening in the wall, and pulled out a small, dried-up scroll. The edges were cracked and crumbling, revealing the scroll's age. He delicately unfurled it, and his eyes widened.


	7. Chapter 7

Ozai hadn't let on to anyone that he had found the prophecy. It was irrelevant anyway, he figured. The Spirit of the Sun itself would not stop him from seizing the throne from his lazy, happy-go-lucky brother. Iroh would be a disastrous Fire Lord, Ozai reasoned, and as such he owed it to the future of his country to seize power. It was how he would do it that Ozai hadn't quite figured out. In the meantime, he was betrothed and married to the kind and demure daughter of a nobleman. Ursa was as beautiful as she was warm-hearted, and people sometimes speculated as to how extraordinarily attractive their child would be. Ozai wasted no time in finding out, and soon Ursa was expecting.

It was during her 6th month of pregnancy that the Fire Sages informed the royal family of the possibility of a solar eclipse in the coming months. The sages gave their estimation of the date of the eclipse's occurance, so that Azulon might prepare the troops for the potential loss in firebending. As Ozai studied the date, his body tensed and his mind raced with panic. July 9th, Year of the Dragon. Ursa was due in early July. Flashing back to the prophecy, Ozai began to worry that the child with eyes like the sun was even now gestating in his wife's womb. Grabbing her roughly by the arm, he took her into their chambers.

"Ozai... what's gotten into you? Let go, you're hurting me!" Ursa wrenched her arm from his grasp and gave him a look of worry and dismay.

"I'm sorry, Ursa... I think we need to terminate your pregnancy." Deafening silence filled the room as the shocked princess processed what she had just heard.

"...What? Ter--... terminate the pregnancy? Why?" she whispered. She sat on the edge of their bed clutching her stomach protectively.

"There's... this prophecy," Ozai said with some hesitation, contemplating how to convince his wife without revealing his designs on the throne. "It says that in the year of the dragon, a cursed child will be born on the day of a solar eclipse."

"I've never heard of such a prophecy," Ursa replied.

"It's been kept secret, hidden away so that it can't be used against the royal family."

"How do you know the child in the prophecy will be royalty?" Ursa asked.

"It says the child will steal the throne from the rightful heir," Ozai fibbed, twisting the words slightly.

"That's terrible... and you think the child I'm carrying might be the child in the prophecy?"

"That's what I am afraid of," Ozai said, resting one hand on his wife's head. "Please, for the sake of our family, and the throne. Please do this for me." Ursa lowered her eyes.

"No." Ozai's brow furrowed just a bit. "I'm sorry, Ozai, but I can't take the life of my own child before he's even born, because of some prediction that may or may not even come true. So there's going to be an eclipse this year. So what? I simply can't take such drastic action based on so little evidence." Ozai said nothing as Ursa stood and left the room.


	8. Chapter 8

The more Ozai mulled over Ursa's decision, the more his worry faded away. _She's right,_ he thought. _Another Dragon year will come soon, maybe there will be an eclipse THAT year, or the year after that... it could be another 100 years before the prophecy is fulfilled. And besides,_ he reminded himself, _when this child is born, he won't be the rightful heir either. Iroh is still the rightful heir, and Lu Ten after that. I'm counting my golden-eyed komodo chicken before he's hatched._ Ozai chuckled to himself at his own joke. Ursa's due date, and the date of the eclipse, drew nearer.

The morning of July 9th, Ozai was practically humming with nervous energy. The moon was in perfect position to eclipse the sun at about midday. Ozai paced the floor of his chambers, wondering what the day's events would bring. _If that kid stays in there for just one more day, I'll be in the clear,_ he thought. He turned his eyes upwards. _Oh please oh please oh please don't let our child be born today. ANY day but today._ And for the moment, he seemed to be getting his wish. His wife was in good spirits, with no complaints about the pregnancy. Breakfast was uneventful. Ursa sat under the tree in the courtyard and fed the turtleducks. Ozai was beginning to think he was home free.

Just after mid-morning, a sudden pain ripped through Ursa's body, and her water broke. Servants immediately rushed her to the palace infirmary, where doctors announced that she was already beginning to dilate. Ozai paced and wrung his hands anxiously as the sky darkened, and Ursa's contractions quickened. The baby crowned as the moon covered the sun, and at the moment the doctors announced the baby's arrival, the sky went black. Drenched in a cold sweat, Ozai hovered over the newborn, waiting for him to open his eyes. Minutes ticked by as the baby cried and the doctors cleaned him off and tended to Ursa. Finally, the baby's eyes began to open, and two golden orbs stared back at Ozai. The prince's heart sank.

"What is the child's name?" the head doctor asked.

"Zuko," Ursa replied before Ozai could say anything. "His name is Zuko." Ursa held her first born and gazed at him in adoration.

In the following weeks, Ozai tried to pretend nothing was wrong as Ursa fawned over her son. She seemed to have forgotten the prophecy entirely. As the people of the Fire Nation learned about Zuko's birth, rumors began circulating that there was something wrong with him, that he was cursed in some way. That he had been born at the exact same time as a solar eclipse, an incredibly bad omen in a culture that worshipped the sun, instilled in the people a superstitious fear of the newborn child. Only Ozai knew their fear was not unfounded.

The moment Zuko opened his eyes, Ozai knew he had to do something to try and circumvent the prophecy. He would do anything to keep Zuko from the throne, and so he immediately began begging Ursa for another child. Ursa was puzzled, wondering why the prince could possibly want a second child. When Azulon passed away, the throne would go to Iroh, not Ozai. And Iroh had an heir of his own, Lu Ten. Ozai concocted dozens of reasons why a second child would be a wonderful blessing, never once referring to the prophecy which he knew Ursa didn't believe. Eventually, she relented, and soon Zuko had a baby sister. Ozai began putting his plan in motion.


	9. Chapter 9

Ozai could tell immediately that his daughter was everything he had hoped for and more. He named her Azula, pandering to his father's ego. He lavished her with the best firebending teachers, the best lessons in military history and tactics. Zuko received only mediocre lessons. Ozai groomed his second child, his second chance, to become the perfect heir to the throne. Fire Nation tradition did not allow women to ascend to the throne, but he had no choice. He had to eliminate Zuko. Ozai was surprised, however, when his 8-year-old daughter approached him one evening and asked why Iroh had to become the next Fire Lord instead of him. 

"I just think you'd make a much better Fire Lord than Uncle," Azula commented, toeing the ground meekly. "You're so strong and smart and determined. All Uncle cares about is tea and goofing off." Ozai decided he could trust his favorite child with the truth.

"As a matter of fact, Azula, I plan to become the next Fire Lord," Ozai replied.

"Really?!"

"Yes. Soon, in fact. I think I can persuade Father that I have what it takes to rule this country, and when he names me the heir, I'll see to it that I take the throne immediately."

"You mean kill him," Azula smirked. Ozai was somewhat taken aback at her bluntness.

"How very astute of you, my dear."

"I take after you, Daddy."

Depriving Zuko of a proper education worked exactly as Ozai had hoped. When Ozai learned of Lu Ten's death, he brought his family before his father to demonstrate that he was the more suitable successor. He showed off Azula's intellect and exceptional firebending skill. In comparison, Zuko looked like an utter failure. However, Azulon was not swayed by Ozai's display, and not only did he refuse to revoke Iroh's birthright, he declared that Ozai would be punished for plotting to betray his sibling. He ordered Ozai to surrender Zuko to Iroh's custody, so that he, too, would lose his only son, and any hope of ascending to the throne as well. Ozai was furious.

"Dad's going to kill you," Azula informed Zuko in a sing-song voice. "Really, he is."

"Ha ha, Azula. Nice try," Zuko grumbled.

"Fine, don't believe me. But I heard everything. Grandfather said Dad's punishment should fit his crime. 'You must know the pain of losing a first-born son, by sacrificing your own!'"

"Liar!"

"I'm only telling you for your own good. I know! Maybe you can find a nice Earth Kingdom family to adopt you!"

"Stop it! You're lying! Dad would never do that to me!" Zuko squeezed his eyes shut and clutched his blanket.

"Your father would never do what to you?" Ursa interrupted. "What is going on here?"

"I don't know," Azula lied.

"It's time for a talk!" Ursa ordered, and dragged Azula out of Zuko's room by her wrist. Sitting her down in her own bedroom, Ursa demanded to know what Azula had told Zuko. Azula simply rephrased what she had told Zuko - that Azulon had ordered Ozai to kill Zuko. As Zuko lay in his bed convincing himself that Azula was lying, Ursa rushed to the throne room to change Azulon's mind, and Azula joined her father in a side hallway. They couldn't make out what she was saying to the Fire Lord, but then there was a stifled scream, and Ursa ran out of the throne room. Ozai stopped her.

"Ursa, my dear, what happened? You're shaking..."

"Ozai... oh, Ozai, I've done something terrible!" Her eyes welled up with tears as she wrung her hands. "I think... I think I've killed Fire Lord Azulon!"


	10. Chapter 10

Ozai feigned shock.

"What? How?"

"I found out about what he told you, his order to kill Zuko, and I came to talk him out of it. I told him it wasn't necessary to sacrifice Zuko, that it was wrong to make an innocent child an object of punishment. He insisted it was the only way. He began to leave, and I grabbed his robe to stop him. I guess he slipped... and then he hit his head on the floor... Ozai, what have I done?" Ursa sobbed, clutching her husband's sleeves. She may as well have had "scapegoat" tattooed on her forehead.

"Ursa... there's only one way to resolve this," Ozai said solemnly. "You must leave. Leave, or the Sages will have you put to death for this. I can make it look like an accident, but you must get out of here. Go into hiding, and I will send for you when it's safe to return." Tears rolled silently down Ursa's cheeks as she nodded and hurried to her room to gather her things.

"What do we do now, Dad?" Azula asked once Ursa was out of earshot. Wordlessly, the prince proceeded into the throne room. His father still lay on the cold tile, not moving. Kneeling beside him, Ozai checked for a pulse. The Fire Lord was, in fact, still alive. But not for long. He turned to Azula, who handed him the dagger she had lifted from Zuko's belt earlier in the day. Ozai held his father close, then buried the knife between Azulon's shoulder blades. Azulon gasped, then exhaled softly as the life drained from his body in a trail of blood that seeped into his robes and disappeared in the red fabric. Ozai let the Fire Lord's head drop to the tile with a muffled CRACK, his blood pooling underneath his head in a halo of death, completing the appearance that he had simply slipped and split his head open. A tragic, and accidental, death.

Handing the knife to Azula, she hurried towards her room to clean it off while Ozai washed his hands, then alerted the Fire Sages of Azulon's passing. He informed them of the meeting he had with Azulon earlier that day, his request to be named successor, and Azulon's agreement to the proposition. He told the Sages that Azulon was on his way to amend his written will when he had his unfortunate accident. Ignorant of all of this, Ursa crept into her son's room to say goodbye.

"Mom?" Zuko murmured groggily.

"Zuko, please, my love, listen to me. Everything I've done, I've done to protect you," she told him, pulling him into an embrace. "Remember this, Zuko. No matter how things may seem to change, never forget who you are!" With that, she turned, pulled her hood over her head, and disappeared down the pitch black hallway.

When Zuko awoke the next morning, his memories of the previous night came rushing back to him. He ran through the palace halls, calling out for his mother. Azula leaned against a pillar, playing with Zuko's knife and smirking at the thought of a plan perfectly executed. Hearing Zuko's footsteps, she hid the knife behind her back.

"Where's Mom?" Zuko asked her, panic rising in his voice.

"No one knows," she replied calmly. "Oh, and last night, grandpa passed away."

"Not funny, Azula," Zuko frowned. "You're sick. And I want my knife back, now!" Zuko grabbed at the knife, but Azula jumped out of the way.

"Who's going to make me? Mom?" she asked mockingly. Zuko's face fell at the realization that his only ally was gone. Before she could react, Zuko swiped the knife and ran off towards the courtyard. He found his father staring placidly at the turtleduck pond.

"Where is she?" Zuko demanded. Ozai did nothing to acknowledge the request. Zuko lowered his head, realizing he would probably never see his mother again.

At the funeral, Zuko listened reverently to the eulogy. His grandfather had indeed been an accomplished leader, and his funeral was attended in record numbers. He wondered how Iroh would be crowned Fire Lord, having not yet returned from deserting the siege at Ba Sing Se.

"We lay you to rest," the Fire Sage intoned. "As was your dying wish, you are now succeeded by your second son." Zuko jerked his head up. "Hail Fire Lord Ozai!" the Sage concluded, placing the crown in Ozai's topknot. The crowd lowered itself to the ground, and Zuko's eyes darted to Azula, looking for an explanation. Ozai's face had been calm and resolute as ever, but the wicked smile spread across Azula's face told Zuko everything, and yet he understood none of it. Zuko gazed at the crowd anxiously as another usurper took the throne.


End file.
